The present invention relates to a spinning machine having several spinning stations, with depositing sites for cans containing the sliver to be spun and with conveying devices for conveying the slivers from the cans to the spinning stations.
A ring spinning machine of the initially mentioned type is known (GB Patent 10 15 780) in the case of which four rows of cans are deposited on each side of the machine while leaving an aisle. Each can is assigned to a spinning station and contains a sliver. The conveying devices each comprise deflecting rollers arranged above the cans and connecting conveyor belts, of which two conveyor belts respectively receive a sliver between one another in a clamping manner. The conveyor belts start between the rows of cans and first lead downward, then through the floor, to the spinning machine, and from there diagonally upward to the pair of feeding rollers of a drafting unit.
It is also known (German Patent 817 572) to provide a platform in the machine center above the driving devices on which cans of normal dimensions are arranged in two rows. Each of these cans contains four or more slivers which are fed to the drafting units by way of deflecting rollers arranged above the cans and the drafting units of the spinning stations.
It is an object of the invention to provide a spinning machine of the initially mentioned type which requires as little space as possible and in which the conveying devices may be designed to be simple and reasonable in price but operate in such a manner that also fine slivers of approximately Nm 0.3 to approximately Nm 0.8 may be conveyed without the danger of drafting during the transport.
This object is achieved in that the cans, which have a diameter of at least 400 mm, are designed to receive at least two slivers, and in that a joint conveying device, which leads to adjacent spinning stations and comprises a conveyor belt conveying these slivers side-by-side, is assigned to each can for the slivers contained in it.
Because of the fact that at least two slivers are deposited in a joint can, the space requirement can already be reduced. Because of the use of only one conveying device for these slivers, the manufacturing expenditures can be reduced and the space requirement can be further reduced. Despite the fact that at least two slivers are contained in a can, the diameter of the cans which is larger in comparison to drafting cans results in a long running time before an exchange of cans becomes necessary.
In a development of the invention, a joint conveying device is provided for the slivers of two cans standing in a row next to one another, these cans each containing at least two slivers. As a result, it is possible, when, for example, two slivers are contained in each can and when the spinning machine has a division of 75 mm (distance between the spindles of adjacent spinning stations), to provide cans which have a diameter of approximately 440 mm if these are deposited in three rows extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine.
In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the conveying devices each have a conveying section which starts above the cans and leads to the spinning machine and a conveying section which leads downward to the spinning stations. As a result, the sliver transport takes place along relatively short paths so that the conveying devices may be kept correspondingly simple.
In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the conveyor belt of each conveying device extends at least along the first conveying section. Preferably, the same conveyor belt may also form the second conveying section. However, it is also contemplated to constructively simplify the second conveying section and design it, for example, as a slide.
In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the conveyor belts of the conveying device are equipped with devices for keeping the slivers separate. As a result, it is ensured that clear conditions with respect to the guiding of the slivers are created in the area of the transport devices.
In a further development of the invention, it is provided that devices for shielding against air currents are assigned to the conveyor belts. This ensures that particularly air currents directed in the longitudinal direction of the machine cannot have any disadvantageous effect on the transport of the slivers.
In a further development of the invention, guiding devices are provided for determining the entering point of the slivers to the conveyor belts. As a result, perfect entering conditions are ensured by means of which the slivers are taken out of the cans.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.